


The Cure

by bijiinhime (Holy_Ackerman)



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, American setting, Finding A Cure, Gen, Government Experimentation, M/M, Sexual Tension, The last of us type AU, Zombie Hunters, not a true crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-11-04 01:28:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10980498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holy_Ackerman/pseuds/bijiinhime
Summary: Kakashi and his crew are in search of the one thing that could save the world: The Cure.Its turns out the cure is a bratty sixteen year old boy named Naruto.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I'm posting this first chapter to see if it's worth continuing. I have a few chapters already written, but I'd like to know your thoughts. If it's any good please let me know! Suggestions are also welcomed. I try to edit out any grammar or spelling mistakes on my own so I do apologize if I've missed a few. 
> 
> I refer to zombies as the fallen through this fic, and there are different classes of Zombies just as in the last of us, but they're under different names. It's explained during the story.

The stench of rotten flesh filled the cockpit of the abandoned plane. It wasn't much of a hideout, really. There was a gaping hole on the side of the aircraft, the once even rows of seats in dismay. But the fallen haven't been in this area for weeks, according to the radio that Iruka has managed to keep running these past five years. As to how whoever was running these broadcast knew such a thing was beyond him, but the information thus far has been accurate.

 _Our goal is to find a cure._ He reminds himself as he looks over to his sleeping peers.

The silver headed man, who was grey before the war had even broken out, was their leader. Intelligent, quick on his feet, handsome, and wore his hair over his left eye to cover a scar. They call him Boss, but his name is Kakashi.

Having been along side the once school teacher, Iruka, since early adolescence, there was no surprise to anyone that they're still together now, fighting along side each other during the apocolypse. 

Iruka was a intelligent man as well, maybe not on the same level as their leader, but his brain has gotten them through tough times. He wasn't the strongest out of the group, but he was the most strategic.

Along the way, almost a year ago now, they picked up two brothers named Itachi, whos now nineteen, and his younger brother Sasuke, age sixteen.

Kakashi has never been quick to trust, Iruka had always known. He was hesitant about letting the boys tag along with them, especially since the night they found them, they had thought Sasuke was bitten. Turns out it was just a bad gash from a fall during their last encounter.

Itachi was a very reserved young man. He didn't speak unless spoken to and that was the only nice thing Kakashi could really say about him. Even over this past year, the boys haven't opened up much to their elders. It was no surprise to them though. What was the point of getting close to others during a time like this? The chance of dying was much higher than the chance of living.

They know the boy's ages, hometowns, and that the boys know how to hunt and kill food, and aren't half bad at fighting off the fallen either. They proved themselves to be useful and they pulled their own weight around the crew. Kakashi appreciated the extra hand when hunting food. 

"They key is to smash their heads in." Kakashi would always remind them as the soft groans came from the distance. "Some of them are fast on their feet. The time frame from when they are bitten mean a lot. The closer to the infection, the worse. They say if they wonder around long enough, they just end up dying."

  
Everyone always kept his words in the back of their mind.

  
Night time was safer to travel in, oddly. Most fallen have poor senses, and their eye sight is among the poorest. They didn't move around too much after sun fall, and it was a blessing.

The clan planned on staying in the abounded aircraft another few nights. Radio had it that there's a wave of fallen heading in that direction.

Right now, they're headed for Atlanta, Georgia to find who've they've been looking for: Naruto Uzumaki. The boy who is said to be the end of this war: the cure itself.

Bitten multiple times, and has yet to show any sighs of his flesh begging to rot, Naruto is known among the states as the miracle boy - who happens to have a huge bounty over his head.

The trusty radio station claims he's in the state of Georgia, a few miles out from its capital. It'd take almost a month on foot to reach the city, but if he's heading in the same direction as them, they're bound to meet up at some point, right?

"The boy could only twelve or thirteen, Kakashi.." Iruka reminded him, watching as Kakashi sharpened his dagger, then running its side over his arm to check its sharpness; a few hairs came clean off. Iruka often watched Kakashi shave with the same very dagger, but those thoughts stayed lodged in the back of his mind.

"So what?" His bored tone made Iruka cringe sometimes. He unconsciously shot his childhood friend the dirtiest of looks. "Since when do you care?"

"He's not some zombified freak, Kakashi! He's a human being! He probably has a family, friends-"

"We both had those things before this damn war broke out, need I remind you?" His piercing eyes shot through the dim lighting of the cockpit. Glaring eyes didn't bring Iruka's attitude to a halt, though.

"Maybe so, but don't hold that over the poor boys head. For all we know, he could be a child, constantly hiding so he isn't killed as used as some serum. We aren't the only ones looking for him.."

"So you don't want to kill him? You don't want a serum to be made?"

"I want this to end.." Iruka exhaled softly, looking back at the sleeping boys, sharing a heavy blanket they draped over themselves, sitting upright in the once passengers seats. "But what would killing the poor boy do?"

"It would do exactly that, Iruka. You're being soft again.."

"I am not.. It isn't my fault I have a damn heart!"

"You're heart has almost gotten us killed." His reminder was unneeded. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that." Kakashi immediately took back his words, trying to form a sympathetic facial expression, though failing miserably.

"Let's just drop it, okay?" Iruka's voice went cold; his eyes turning away from Kakashi - it was better than him scolding, in a way,- and staring out into the darkness of the sky.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Kakashi opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the sweet sound of Iruka's sleepy voice.

"Remember when we used to gaze up at the sky as children? You'd name the constellations, and never failed the find the Gemini, saying how my zodiac fit me perfectly.."

"I was obsessed with stars in high school. I wanted to major in astrology." Kakashi added, having very vivid memories of his friendship with Iruka. "I was also obsessed with you.."

"I know.." He smiled, looking up at the stars in the sky, wondering if Kakashi still remember all their names. "You weren't very good at hiding it."

"I really wasn't trying to. Thought if you knew I liked you, it'd get me farther. I guess not." He teased as he ran his battered fingers through silver locks - they were once soft and able to be tamed, but now it's thicker, dryer, and defiantly would break a comb if he tried to brush through it.

"Shut up, boss." Iruka teased back. "It got you pretty far."

  
"We are here together, after all."

Iruka nodded. "See? The stars must have been in your favor."

"They must have listened to my prayers." He gave Iruka a smile for his eyes only, watching as he choked down a blush.

"Will we be heading out tomorrow?"

"Maybe, the radio did say the fallen are heading this way. I'd rather be gone before they get here. We'll leave right before the sun sets, if anything. I'll wake up early to find some food for us."

"I'll tag along, it's been a few days since we last had a meal."

"I seen a few rabbits around the area, and there's a river about a mile west. I think I'll take Itachi, he's pretty swift with a weapon. He has great aim with his bow and arrow."

"Fine, I'll watch the boy then. Maybe I'll take him with me to get water. We'll fill up the canteens."

"Just be careful, alright?"

"You worry about me too much, Kakashi. I can handle myself."

"I have no doubt in your abilities, but I can't help but worry sometimes."

Kakashi took his worn out jean jacket, and draped it over his torso. Even with the stains, rips and tears, it managed to keep his warm. After all, it was lined with fake fur.

He said his good nights as he curled up into the captain's chair, trying his best to get comfortable. Honestly, he was just thankful that they all weren't sleeping on the cold ground tonight.

It was late fall, but they were heading towards warmer climate. It was a blessing, really. Kakashi wasn't sure his joints could handle another winter up in the north.

Iruka placed his shoes neatly beside him, and snuggled up to the his knees. He was tempted to join the boys and share their blanket, but it barely fit three people.

It was the blanket Kakashi and himself used to share, one from the Umino family home. A blanket with many memories. Iruka wanted that small sense of being home again, but the tarp he picked up a few states back would have to do.

  
***

Kakashi woke before the sun made its appearance. He sharpened his dagger again, and checked his backpack full of weapons. A bat with rusty, blood stained nails hammered in that he picked up in North Carolina, a pipe he found in the abandoned factory they seeked shelter in in Kentucky, and a rusty crowbar he found in the fields a few days ago.

Iruka had a few of his own. He carried around a shot gun, always slung over his shoulder. Along the way he had picked up replacement bullets, and was lucky to have enough stores up to last him a while. He only used the gun when needed, other than that, he used a sword he picked up in North Virginia that he kept tugged under his belt.

Itachi had his bow and arrow, and six replacement bows he had tucked away in his bag. He mostly used it for hunting, but with him impeccable aim, he could use it for killing the fallen as well.

Sasuke had a pairing knife, and that was it. For a young boy, he could handle his own, but with his brother by his side, he had nothing to worry about. At least that's what he told himself.

  
The sun let off a good morning heat, despite the time of year. But the breeze sent the occasional chill across Kakashi's skin. He assumed it'd reached sixty degrees today, based on the way the sky looked down upon him. Maybe only fifty with the wind chill, but if the sun stayed out, he'd be fine.

He had Itachi lead the way in the hunt, his eyes were much better, and could see farther than Kakashi's one. His left eye had been left nearly blind after an accident. The scar over it was a constant reminder of Kakashi's weakness.

Itachi had his bow in position, down on one knee in a flash. One eye bulged open as a rabbit crossed his line of sight. The arrow plucked off the string in an instant, sticking the rabbit through the skull. Kakashi couldn't help but smirk as Itachi rose to his feet and made his way to the kill.

"Your eyes are as good as ever." He commented, watching the younger man rip the arrow from their lunch.

"Thank you, Boss."

"Let's see what else we can find, one rabbit won't feed us all. It doesn't look very big."

"Roger." Itachi wiped the sharp tip of the arrow against his pants, and held the bow over his shoulder. "I think I seen a few deer roaming around earlier."

"If we don't get anything else, the others are planning on getting some fish. I assume Iruka has his fish net."

"Mr. Iruka should focus on the water, that's more important."

"I tried telling him that, but he's stubborn. He wants to make sure we're fed before we leave again, since we probably won't have food for another few days."

"Then we should travel along the river, no?"

"According the the map, we'd only be able to for the first ten miles or so."

"That's better than nothing, I suppose." He lightened his steps among the crinkling leaves beneath his feet. The sound of footsteps filled both of their eyes, and they immediately got on defense.

Bow and arrow in position, and Kakashi reached for his bag, his hand gripped around the the end of the deadly bat. They both narrowed their eyes in the direction of the sound, only to find it to be a dog.

"What the-"

A loud whistle pierced their ears.

"Come here, boy!" A booming voice called out.

The dogs ears stood straight up, tailing wagging as he dashed the other way. Kakashi wanted to follow.

"Should we eat the dog, Boss?"

"God no.." He inner dog lover protested. "We're going to follow it though."

"Yes, Boss." Itachi replied, following his leader through the bushes.

Kakashi kept an eye out for the dog, using his scene of hearing as his guide. His left eye was almost useless to him at this point, but his ears have yet to fail him.

He could make out the sounds of the dogs paws against the fallen leaves, he wasn't running towards anything, more like the dog had a pep in his step heading straight towards the river.

Kakashi thought Iruka had seen the dog first, and paid no mind to it, but a part of him hoped that Iruka thought of him, and how much he loved animals. But thoughts like that at a time of war are inappropriate, right?

Kakashi held his arm out, signaling Itachi to stop, and he did. They both crouched down behind some shrubbery, peaking through the natural gaping of the leaves. They spotted and older man, and three younger children with him, maybe a year or two older than Sasuke was, but possibly the same age. Two of them male, one female, there leader also being a male.

"Should we make contact, Boss?"

"Hold on.."

The dog had nudged up against the older man's leg before receiving a nice scratch on the head. His golden fur had been caked in mud and leaves, the older man walked with the dog towards the rivers banks and the dog jumped right it.

"We should bathe, too." He commented to the children. "Tenten, ladies first.. We'll go out looking for food while you bathe here with Baxter."

"Fine." She replied with a shrug of her shoulder, not hesitating to let her hair free of its knotted up pig-tails. "I have no objections to a bath."

"Watch out, the fish bite!" One of the other boys teased. Kakashi noted how the boy and the man looked very much alike. Father and son maybe? Or so he thought

The other young man only huffed in response, turning away from the group to start the search. He took his knife from the bag he held over his shoulder and made his way into the forest, the other two males not far behind.

"Wait up, Neji!" The young boy yelled out, shuffling his feet faster to catch up.

"Don't be so slow then, Lee!" He darted back. His pale eyes narrowed towards the other. "Let's hurry up and catch a deer, I'm tired of living off nuts and berries."

The older man laughed. "But it's healthy! I need to keep you boys in shape!"

"Meat wouldn't hurt every once and a while, Gai."

"Yeah, Neji has a point.. I'm a growing boy who needs his meat!"

"Well whatever you can kill, you can eat. Consider it a challenge! Whoever gets more bathes first."

"Yes!!" Lee screamed, only to get a whack in the back of the head from both Gai and Neji.

"Oi.. Are you trying to become zombie food, you idiot?"

"S-Sorry, I got excited!"

Itachi tapped Kakashi on the shoulder, getting a simple what as a reply.

"We shouldn't watch the young girl bathe." He commented, looking away from the river. Kakashi couldn't help but smirk as he noticed the small innocent blush on the apples of Itachi's cheeks.

"I wasn't, but we should head back to Iruka and Sasuke. Maybe we'll bump into those guys on the way. After all, they could be looking for Naruto, too."

With the crinkling of leaves under their feet, the dog - Baxter's - ears perked straight up and looked in their direction with murderous intent in his eyes. His bark was threatening, and his golden hair stood straight up. TenTen immediately shot from the water, only wearing her worn out bra and a pair of underwear that have seen better days. Kakashi missed the fact that she brought a machete into the water with her, she was already in a defensive stance.

"Come out!" Her voice more threatening than the bark. "Don't make me go after you! You will loose your head!"

"Maa, we come in peace." Kakashi stood from behind the bushes, hands up in the air. Itachi followed, in the same stance.

They both walked a few steps closer, Itachi dropping his bow and arrow in front of him. Kakashi didn't drop his weapon, but the girl was smart enough to see there was no real threat. She seen the dead rabbit tied up on the side of Itachi. They were just looking for food, too.

"Will you not spy on a young girl while she's bathing?" She sighed, plopping back into the water. "I know it's hard to get some because of the apocalypse and all, but I'm afraid I'm too young for you."

"And how old may you be, exactly?"

"Seventeen." She replied, pulling a face at Kakashi. "But don't get any ideas."

"I have none." He gave her an, oddly, comforting smile. "I only asked out of curiosity. Are your peers the same age?"

"Yes?" Tenten's answer sounded more like a question. Why does he care?

"So you're around my brothers age." Itachi spoke, putting his arms down beside him. "That's refreshing."

"Sixteen and seventeen year olds have enough attitude to kill one of the fallen, I'm sure half of those who survived are complaining teenagers." Kakashi was almost serious. His attention went back towards tenten. "How long have you been here? I believe I heard them call you Tenten."

"That's my name.. And we just arrived in the area only a day or two ago. Just happened to stumble upon an abounded house a few miles from here, but came to the river for food and water. That's all I'm willing to tell you."

"That's all I needed to know."

"Mm, aren't you going to ask about Naruto, Boss?"

Kakashi sighed. "Now I have to.. Are you guys searching for Naruto as well?"

"Didn't I say it already? I told you everything I'm willing to let you know. The motives of my team and I are for us to know only."

"We're hoping to build a search team, share the bounty equally, and get a cure to end this madness. I don't care about anything else aside from ending the damn war. I asked you a question, and I want an answer."

Tenten let out a loud sigh, her facial expression not hiding her annoyance.

"It's a dumb question, everyone is looking for him. A million dollar bounty is enough for anyone to be searching for him."

"Instead of you four, let's make it eight. That'll double our chances of finding him. We have a radio-"

"A radio? You're listening to the broadcastings, I assume?"

"Yes.. Why?"

"Ours broke months ago. Gai punched it when the signal was weak, and sound of static drives him crazy. Broke the damn things and only said oops.."

"We can listen to the broadcasts, and get to Naruto faster. When we find him, We'll bring him to the base in Jacksonville."

Tenten was now interested, and it was written on her face.

"We're staying in a crashed plane not far from here, but we plan on moving out tonight. Though I'm willing to spend one more night here, and head out with you guys tomorrow. Tell your boss and come find me. We can file the details later."

"And what if we don't show up?"

"Then you're out on a radio. You'll never know where he's heading."

 

***

Iruka was successful in catching fish, though only getting four, it was enough for each person. The hunters of the group killed another rabbit, so if was enough rabbit meat and small trout to go around.

Another thing the brothers were skilled in are starting fires. Sasuke gathered the wood and Itachi did the famous method of rubbing sticks together to spark a flame, using rabdom twigs and leaves to keep it going.

After a few minutes, the flame was well and hot. The rabbits had been skinned by Kakashi, and Iruka chopped the heads off from the fish. They were ready to be cooked, and then scoffed down.

Each guy held a metal rob in each hand that they used to cook meats and fish on. They assumed ten minutes of so for the fish, and maybe a few more for the rabbit, since they were plump.

Kakashi wished he had a lemon to squeeze over the fish, and maybe have the rabbit in some stew, with hearty potatoes and carrots on the mix. His stomach couldn't handle the thought, twisting and almost making him cry out in pain. Not eating for days on end was really a pain.

When he had told Iruka about meeting up with another group, he was rudely reminded about what had happened last time.

The other bounty group they teamed up with tried to steal all their weapons, the radio, and the blankets they had. They only made way with a few blankets, and a few canned goods, but Iruka was hard when it came to trusting others in the sense of teaming, while Kakashi didn't even care what those guys were like. As much as Kakashi was weary, he wanted to find a cure and he wanted to find it fast. 

Kakashi figured if they have survived this long, they have some kind of skill in killing the fallen. He only wanted a group of three or four who can push their own weight and help them get to Naruto. Trusting them never crossed his mind, really. Iruka was sure Kakashi's brain was wired weirdly. He didn't plan on trusting them or becoming their friends at all, it was strictly strategic. 

"We're staying one more night, I'm sure they'll come see us in the morning." Kakashi said before tearing off a fat chunk of rabbit meat. "Is that clear?"

"Yes, Boss." The boys said, but Iruka only rolled his eyes and kept eating.

 _Typical Kakashi.._ He thought to himself. _Always wanting to stay later than we need to. What makes him so sure of these guys? They could be cannibals!_

Right now didn't seem like the time to worry. For the first time in days they were eating a meal. They had no idea when they'd see their next one. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I use America as a setting because... I live in the USA.. it was easier for me to write locations because of it. I also write this a long time ago and didn't feel like changing that detail. It's rather minor.

Nights in South Carolina were often cold and Kakashi's old bones weren't having any of it. He was tempted to steal back the blanket from the boys, but getting Iruka to share the tarp would be much easier. He'd probably protest at first but then give in when Kakashi would give him the puppy dog eyes. 

It was funny how Kakashi had the body heat of a furnace and didn't often get cold but during the night when his body fell victim to tiredness, he could truly feel the chill in the nights air.

"I really must be getting old.." He mumbled to himself.

"Thirty isn't that old." He heard Iruka mumble back.

"I'll be thirty-one soon." The thought alone had made him cringe.

"Thirty-one is _ancient_ if you think thirty is old."

"You're funny tonight." Kakashi sighed, tapping Iruka's shoulder. "Move over, brat."

Iruka hesitated but soon gave in when he noticed Kakashi shiver against the cool breeze. Iruka moved off to the side to allow Kakashi to slip under him in the chair.

"You still can't sleep alone?" Iruka yawned while repositioning himself in the copilot's chair, he was pretty much sitting on Kakashi's lap at this point and was using his shoulder as a pillow. Deep down Iruka felt conflicted. It was nice to be with Kakashi like this, but… 

"I'm cold, not lonely." Kakashi said.

"Yeah, yeah.. Another excuse to get me close to you."

"Maybe." He joked. Kakashi wrapped his arms around Iruka's warm body, taking in as much heat as he could. "Possibly both. I still can't fool you, I see."

"I'm much smarter than I look."

"You sure about that?" Kakashi winced as he felt Iruka pinch the skin on his arm. "Sorry.." He muttered like a child, making the other man smile.

"You're lucky it was only a pinch." Iruka said before falling back to sleep.

 

* * *

 

The clan was rudely awaken by the booming voice of who Kakashi immediately recognized as Gai, accompanied with his rather young companions, though he could only remember the young girls name.

"Wake up! Wake up!" His voice boomed as he neared the aircraft. The dog, Baxter, barking loudly to join his master.

"That's the team you found, Kakashi?" Iruka held back the urge to punch him, instead letting out a loud sigh as he exited the aircraft with the boys by his side.

Kakashi was almost regretting his decision, but had a good feeling about the group. Gai may have woken them up before the sun had the chance to, but after talking for a while he seemed rather honest.

Gai was an overly eccentric man, age thirty-two. He had lost his friends and family way before the war broke out, but when he found out he had a son - who happened to be Lee, as Kakashi suspected - it brought new meaning to his life and gave him a reason to fight.

The young boy with long, dark brown hair that easily reached his bottom half was Neji. His pale colored eyes were unique, and were probably worth a lot in the black market - Kakashi often thought of money at times like theses, something he never once cared about.

Neji was seventeen, and early high school grad who was about to start college when the outbreak happened. When the fallen reached his city most of his family was taken out and some slipped away and divided into other groups. He met up with Gai and Lee a few weeks after.

Tenten, the girl they met before was the same age. Her light brown hair tugged into two messy buns on the top of her head. She was lean, average height, and appeared to be a sweet girl, but Kakashi knew she could handle her own just by the way she carried herself.

TenTen said she became a part of the group a few months before. It was not long after the clan she was originally traveling with was taken out during a gruesome battle against stage three's.

The fallen were ranked by stages, one through three.

Stage one was the first stage, directly after being bitten. They're somewhat conscious, but unable to move their body's on their own. The virus quickly spread through the blood system, attack the nerves of the body. The fallen during stage one have all five senses.

Stage one lasted anywhere from a a couple of days to a few weeks. It's truly the stage of suffering, they've all seen it first hand. They'd screech in agony, clutching to themselves in pain and looking for an escape from their own body. They had a thirst for blood that some gave in to while other tried hard to fight it off. With their morals still partially intact, it was hard from some who had been bitten. Some stage ones tried their best to beg to be killed. Others fought to survive. That's just how times were. Iruka liked to think of stage one as the "testing" stage for the virus to find a suitable host, they'd either die from starvation or combustion. Iruka assumed it was often both.

Stage two meant hell for the host. Eye sight becomes little to none, smell has vanished, even touch begins to crumble. Body parts become numb, simply being moved by the virus itself. Whatever this virus is, at this stage begins to seep into bone marrow, taking over complete control of ones movements. It lodged itself between joints and covers the bones in a thin layer, blocking off whatever is left of the Host's cells.

The virus moved fast throughout the body, traveling via bloodstream and then settled in the brain. It'd break itself off and settle in different parts of the body and turn it's host into something nonhuman.

They're easily distracted, considering they're driven by sound, but rumor has it that they adapt to the loss of eyesight. This stage can last anywhere from weeks to months, and the longer a host is captured in stage two, it's said they develop a new type of sensor. Some say it's echolocation while some say it's they can sensor heat.

It happens right before stage three.

Most people aren't able to fight off a zombified virus once it reaches stage three. The fact alone that Tenten was able to tell her story struck Kakashi's group as amazing.

Stage three's normally keep to themselves but when will attack when they thirst for the taste of human blood. Stage three's tend to roam alone, usually in wooded areas surrounded by wildlife. Kakashi had seen many deer and bears sucked dry from blood, branded with small fungi in their eyes. It seems that once a fallen has reached stage three they can also consume animals. Thankfully, the various wildlife stayed dead after being bitten. Kakashi had wondered why. What made the virus attack humans but not animals?

At first glance, a zombie in stage three has put on a lot of weight, mostly from the virus starting to grow outwards, somethings breaking skin, oozing dark colors that Iruka couldn't even put a name to. Some had hair, some were balding. But they all had black eyes that Sasuke described as the devil's eye. Often times there body showed signs of the fungus growing on their skin. Needless to say, but a person smelled a stage three before they actually seen them.

The amount of blood thirst that seeps through their body is massive. It's enough to stop anyone right in their tracks, filling your body with fear, and freezing you in place. It was like a spell, really, how locking eyes with them somehow meant loosing your life.

Kakashi and his crew came in contact with one fallen who was in stage three, and fear was an understatement. She was fast and even with her eye sockets hollow and her body covered in fungi she easily out ran them. They thought it would weigh her down but it seemed to only fuel her. She moved much faster than anything they've ever seen, even compared to an animal. It was by pure luck that they won. Iruka managed to slip past her and climb up a tree, as the other distracted her he lined up several bullets with her head, Kakashi chopped it straight off while she was stunned.

  
"How'd you do it, Tenten?" Itachi asked her. She sat down beside him on the ground, and the others joined them on the cold soil.

"I was honestly in a daze." She began to say. "I heard about not looking into their eyes, so I focus on their foreheads, and tried my best to read their moves. There were two of them, both female I believe. My mother was able to decapitate one of them, but was bitten by the other shortly after. Gai and these two bone heads jumped in and aided me. My other clan members had all fallen. I had to dispose of them before the virus set it."

"That must have been hard on you.." Iruka sympathized.

"Very.." Tenten mumbled, rubbing her calloused fingers over the nape of her neck. "But it had to be done."

"Tenten is one hell of a women!" Gai boasted, clearly proud of the young lady. "I can't tell you how many times she's saved our asses!"

"My family ran a dojo." She added. "I grew up fighting, and I sure as hell know how to defend myself."

"That's exactly what we're looking for. And I'm sure she already told you about our conversation, that's why you're all here, right?" Kakashi drew everyone's attention towards him. "I'm sure she mentioned the radio." He jerked a tumb over his shoulder towards the gaping whole in the cockpit.

"She did say." Neji spoke up. "How could we turn down such a novelty?"

"I still have hope that this Naruto guy is out there and hasn't been caught yet! But what happens once we catch him?" Lee questioned, re-lacing his worn out running shoes. He was preparing for anything that could happen next.

"Once we get him, we bring him to that military base in Florida and we cash out." Kakashi said. "Simple as that. They make a cure, and the world can be saved."

"How Nobel of you." Iruka rolled his eyes.

"Boss knows what he's doing, Iruka. Please have some faith in him." Itachi forced a smile, it was clear where his loyalties settled, but it didn't bother Iruka, he knew Kakashi better than anyone. This wasn't about the money, and he figured only half of it was for the cure.

"I have faith in Kakashi." He replied with a subconscious glare. "I just doubt his intentions."

"Maa, Iruka! Don't talk so highly of me in front of our guest."

"I just don't get it, you didn't care about finding Naruto till a few months ago. So what's up? Why the sudden change?"

"Iruka has a point.." Sasuke let his voice be heard. "When we joined up with you, you had no interest in finding him."

"You question me now?" Kakashi gave them all a bored look.

"I'm curious as well, Kakashi." The other team leader said, a serious expression. "Everyone is looking for him, and he could easily be found by another clan, so why you? Why us?"

"Because if it isn't us, then who? Who's to say someone else finds him and create the cure themselves, only healing those close to them? But if we, with good intentions, keep him out of harms way and transport him to the military base, we can create a cure for everyone."

"But how much can one boy really do?" Neji pointed out. "How many serums can he really make? Will he even be kept alive for it?"

"Who cares! So many people have died because of this shit! We can't make one damn sacrifice?!" Kakashi chuckled as in disbelief. What couldn't they understand?

"As long as it's not for nothing." The boys said, and Tenten nodded to agree.

"I have no problem hunting the bastard down." She started to say. "The fact that we survived this long means a lot. I know we can find him, but then what?"

"I've already answered that question." Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

"Sorry, it's just that it's easy for people to have bad intentions. You seem pretty honest, but it's hard to trust people during a damn apocalypse." Tenten narrowed her eyes back. "Don't tell me you disagree."

"I agree." He said plainly.

"Kakashi.." Gai cleared his throat. "We have been looking for a group to travel with, but you must understand our hesitance."

"Iruka and I have been together since we were children, and have been by each other's side since this war broke out. We picked up Itachi and Sasuke - who was injured - and they've been loyal to us. We haven't back stabbed, nor left them for dead. I'm not interested in loosing more people to the damned fallen. This is madness. I refuse to loose anyone else to those fucking monsters."

Kakashi glanced over to Iruka and the boys, who all held small smiles on their faces. They knew Kakashi was a man of his word, but the situation called for doubts.

"He's someone who can be trusted." Iruka smiled towards the other clan. "I'm sure you'll realize that if you tag along with is. Besides, the more the merrier. We'd like to test out your skills anyways."

"Test out skills?" They all questioned.

"Fighting against the fallen, I mean. You'll be testing us as well, right? To see if we're worth to travel with? I'm skill with my shotgun, Itachi with his bow and arrow."

"We have an array of weapons." Tenten said. "Most of them from my family basement."

"That's still a scary thought.." Lee mumbled. "Why did you family have so many?"

"WE WERE PREPARED FOR THIS!" She shouted. "Don't you realize this was probably was not an accident?"

"Oh please.." Neji scoffed, crossing his arms loosely over his chest. "You think the government did this or something? I mean, it's a nice way to not pay taxes, but they're so money hungry-"

"It's a game, Neji! You'll see." She wagged a finger in his face.

"That's enough from you two!" Gai interrupted. "Tenten, quit it with your conspiracy theories."

She sighed loudly, stopping herself from ranting. It wasn't worth the aggravation, the boys never listened. She hoped Kakashi and his clan didn't think any less of her for this, and that maybe one of them agreed. She couldn't be the only one to believe this after all, right?

"Guys, let's eat and discuss game plans. We should at least have a meal before we begin arguing." Iruka flashed a smile to Gai's clan, trying to lighten the air. "Let's use this time to know each other better."

"Fish?" Neji assumed, looking towards the river.

"If you want, we have extra rabbit we cooked up but didn't eat."

"You're offering us extra cooked food?"

"Well.. Yes. There are plenty more rabbit we can skin and eat." Iruka cringed at that thought. "This area is rich with meat."

"Feed to kids the left overs. Iruka, Kakashi, how about us three go hunting for more?" Gai suggested, standing to his feet.

"I have no objections." Kakashi cleared his throat. He rose from the cold ground and held out a hand to aid Iruka to his feet. "Iruka?"

"That's fine by me." He fixed the strap of his gun over his chest, feeling the weight of his weapon against his back. He eyed the long blade that held in his sheath. He was ready to protect Kakashi at any moment, turning his glare to Gai who already had his back to the two.

He noticed the pistol tucked under his belt, next to what seemed as a dagger. Iruka wondered if he had extra bullets as well. For some reason, they were too easy to find in certain cities. His mind wondered back to Tenten's spew, but quickly erased it from his mind.

The country wouldn't use their citizens as pawns in a game, right?

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Comment and level kudos if you enjoyed :)


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